Sleeping at Dawn (Because Nerds Can Be Rebels Too)
by simplysimpre
Summary: Stefan was sick of the being the kid that just lived off his parents money. Since he was at college, he decided to take up a few jobs to prove that he could work, not just sit around and get cash thrown at him. Working at a bar, apparently, he's going to get more than he bargained for. In a world where so many are simple minded, rebelling a little can go a long way. Boy/Boy pairing
1. Prologue

**Sleeping at Dawn (because nerds can be rebels too)**

**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Twilight... disappointment, eh?**

**Warning: Boy/Boy pairing, nothing too graphic though**

**AN: Decided to post this from my phone because my laptop broke :( and that prevents me from typing my other story. A few chapters of this had been just sitting around... so yeah.**

* * *

Seattle. I dragged myself into my dorm room, flopping down on my twin sized bed. After running around town for hours, I was finally able to score myself a job at a family owned coffee house. It seemed as if every other college student was scavenging for a job and apparently, my boisterous roommate had decided so too. I looked out the only window in our dorm, the one that overlooked the suburbs, letting me see the smallest inch of downtown Seattle.

It didn't look like much, but I knew that little piece of window held the only entertainment for me for my four long years here. Tall buildings loomed over lower structures, hiding the houses with intimidating shadows. Lights started to speckle on, trying to regain my attention, capture it. The buildings seemed to glow brighter with each second, small shops and large department stores luring me with the bright lights and sound of traffic.

The sky was already dark and I felt the need to do nothing more than rest my eyes before the first day of work, classes weren't to start until next week. The bed was small, but manageable. I let my head lull me into sleep with the rumble of traffic and the far off sounds of horns.

* * *

"Easy enough, isn't it? Just make 'em coffee and serve it. Not too much for a student to remember," he drawled, leaning back into his chair. My manager seemed like a decent guy, he didn't start off the day throwing anything at me, "Remember the ground rules, no being rude and never show up drunk for work, might as well not come."

I nodded and he smiled, smirking at the small girl who was whipping up muffins from the back kitchen. She had introduced her self as Alice, a graduate of Seattle Pacific. From what I understood, her degrees did nothing more but cover her window at night to block the view of the street. She was still a bright girl, smiling at relatively nothing at all.

Our manager left the room, leaving us to attend the groggy customers on our own. I was always a morning person, so the fact that it was still dark out hardly bothered me. Only lawyers and business men came in at that hour, mumbling their preferred coffee before they sat down on the tables and typed like zombies. The coffee house wasn't completely trashy, it still had that homey effect while trying to mix in some odd hipster vibe. The walls were a pale powdery beige, lined with a mahogany while the ceilings were a warn bright orange. Even with all the wooden furniture and fresh flowers, no one seemed to take time out of their typing to notice a thing.

Alice looked blankly at a lawyer who was typing a paragraph a second on his laptop. She shook her head, sighing as she served another cup of coffee, "Sometimes I'm happy that I didn't find a real job yet, Stefan. Look at them, they look dead."

I pressed my lips together and nodded, they all looked the same. Some looked much younger than others, but they all had the same dull eyes and bored expressions. Designer suit cladded men who walked as if they were robots, their shins held high but their faces lifeless. As the sky decided to welcome us with a little bit of sun, the customers changed dramatically. Gone were the business men who were already out the door, yapping into their phones and in came a much younger group.

As I got their order from the tables, their eyes were focused on their portable screens. They ordered their sugary drinks and sat their sipping and tapping, completely ignoring the sun. It was as if the town was filled with lifeless creatures who took in the form of pale young adults.

"Penny for your thoughts? You don't look very well, Stefan," she asked, concern lacing her voice.

I shook it off and pointed at the people, "Is it like this everyday?"

"Quiet? I suppose, not a lot of people come to coffee houses to talk in the morning, it's more of a daily thing. They come in to drink their eyes open and then they waste their lives away staring at screens and books."

I sighed and nodded, returning back to my work. My shift ended a little before noon and by then, I had nothing to do. My textbooks sat on my desk, waiting to be opened. My parents had gone and bought everything brand new, a luxury not many could afford. They had insisted on paying for everything. I knew they had good intentions, but what was the point in getting in with real life when your parents gave you relatively everything?

As their only son, they felt the need to coddle me and follow me around. The time it came to college, I just chose the one furthest away from New York. Completely across the country and they were still insisting on giving me an allowance and even a fake I.D. Personally, the fake I.D. was too much. My parents had always believed that all college boys drink and have parties, and apparently, they were all for it. Little did they know their son could hardly drink a can of beer before passing out cold.

They were drunk on the thought of giving their "'little boy" a perfect all American life the moment they found that they were swimming in cash. My father owned a building filled with geeks behind computers, accounting their way through life. Ever since he started to make money, I resented it.

The door flew open and my roommate threw himself on his bed, his forehead lined with sweat and his shirt missing. He threw his dirty towel down on the floor besides him and shook off his long hair. The boy was large, dark, and almost everything I wasn't. We had exchanged only a handful of words and by then he seemed done with me. Other than his sweet looks, he stunk... literally.

He hardly acknowledged me as he took a bottle of Gatorade from the minifridge and left the room. I decided to try my luck in Seattle again, hoping to get another job. It was stupid, but I craved the want of work. All my classes were in the afternoon, which gave me a nice stretch of night and morning. Pulling on a random hoodie from my suitcase, I rushed back outside. I didn't need to live with my parents paying for me, I was eighteen. I just had to show them how I could be a functioning member of society without them sending me cash, other college students didn't go asking their mommies and daddies for money and I didn't need to either.

Again, I forced myself through the streets. My legs pumped on the pedals of my bike, enjoying the sweet air that blew on my face. Buildings were daring to fall over on me, covering the skyline. In the day, the city looked dull. A lady stopped me at a corner of the town that didn't look so pretty. The streets were emptier mind a few cars and trashcans. The buildings were much less well kept than the sparkling skyscrapers and apartments that I saw a few streets back. A few people were sitting on the road, the type of people that my parents tried to take me away from. She approached me with a blood red smile and long sharp nails.

"Hella, Hun. Looking for something to have fun with? For a little, I can show you a good time in Seattle."

I shook my head at the tour guide, "I'm looking for a job, hopefully a night job."

The tour guide chuckled, waving at me with her sharp blue nails, "Honey, I'm available anytime. Ya look like a good kid, it's nice doing it with a stranger before things get personal, babe. What'd ya say? Fifty bucks for a little job?"

The tour guide brushed her bright red hair out of her face as a little red sign caught my attention, "My name's Victoria, if you're good, I'll let you call me Vicky."

"Umm, I'm busy right now. Maybe later? I hadn't seen a lot yet."

The tour guide nodded and handed me a card, "Call me, baby. I'll be ready anytime. Although I'd be a lot better with a drink or two, you might just get lucky."

She walked away, teetering on her heels. I biked over to the building that had the little red sign and knocked on the front door. The place looked abandoned, yet the sign looked bright and new. A pale man with a sharp face answered the door, his brow raised. He was dressed in a suit, despite the fact that the place didn't look as if fancy attire was needed.

"Yes?"

His smooth voice somehow managed to shake me as I became lost for words, "Uhh... sign... the job?"

A smile slowly spread on his face, his pale lips stretched, "Oh, yes."

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**So... how're you enjoying the story? I've only had like three chapters done before my laptop broke down :( Once I get my paycheck, I'll see if I have extra money left~ typing this on my phone is hell**


	2. Chapter 1

**_Chapter 1 _**

**Disclaimer: My autograph would probably make your Twilight books worth less not more, go figure. I just play around with the characters.**

**Warning: Mehh... nothing really. It's the first chapter... we'll take it slow.**

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The man led me into the dark building, chuckling as he swung his arm over my shoulders. He told me to leave my bike by the entrance before bringing me into the dark building. Was it wrong that I loved the thrill of walking through the dark? It sent the sweetest chills down my back. The man was thin, so thin, but his arms were somehow strong.

"How old are you, boy?"

"I'm eighteen, but I'll do anything I have to for the job."

He chuckled again, making the hairs on my neck stand up, "Excellent, I would love more boys like you. You may call me Aro. College student, I believe?"

I nodded as he turned open a door, blinding me with bright white light. After I got over the intensity of the white walls, I stepped into the room. The room was plain, containing walls covered in bottles and red couches surrounding a dark black coffee table. A man with pale blond hair was lying down on the floor, his head leaning against the side of the couch. He was wearing a long black die and dress pants, his chest covered in glitter. A book sat on his chest and a sheet of pale hair covered his eyes.

"Vladimir, I told you not to read. Go play with the rest of your lovely friends."

The man huffed, blowing the hair out of his face and returning to hid book. Aro gestured for me to sit down on the couch, "Ignore him, let's go on with our interview. He likes to intrude on things, I found it was better to let him be than argue. Romanians, insufferable."

"I'm Romanian."

He raised a brow, "Of course. Full name?"

"Stefan Antonescu."

"Mmmm," he mused, tapping his fingers against the soft leather of the couch, "a mouthful isn't it. Well, if you didn't notice Hidden is a gentleman's club. All you'll be doing is serving drinks and such. It's incredibly easy work, even for a little kid like you. Of course, you're too young to drink. Only serving."

"You still want to work? Hours are from eight thirty to one."

"Yes, Sir."

The blond man scoffed, making Aro scowl down at him, throwing a magazine at him in the process. He yelped and moodily crawled behind the couch, discarding the magazine underneath the couch.

"Ignore him. It's as if someone shoved a bottle up his ass, not exactly pleasant to be around. Excellent. May I have your I.D. I need it for the paperwork. Vlady, get him some pants and get him ready, we need pictures. I'll send Demetri down with you before you scare the boy."

The blond man stood up and began to take off his pants, throwing them at the back of my head, "Wear these. I think you're the same size."

"Today will be your trial day, I'll hire you if I don't get any complaints," Aro rolled his eyes as he left through a mahogany door, covered in plaques, mumbling something about Romanians.

"Hurry up, we don't have all day. The guys are upstairs taking pictures, if you're gonna stay here, we better hurry."

I tugged on my jeans, "Turn around."

He rolled his eyes and turned around as I took off my jeans and slid into the overly smooth dress pants. Vladimir peeked over his shoulder and scowled at me, his dark eyes flashing.

"Get rid of the clothes, we aren't at church. No nun is going to swat you with a fish for showing some skin."

I pulled off my hoodie and shirt, suddenly very aware of how I had not even the slightest amount of muscle on my body. He didn't seem to care less as he led me out of the bright room and into the dark front room. He looped his arm in mine and maneuvered me around furniture and to a spiral ramp that led to a dimly lit upstairs lounge.

The walls were a dark gray and the floor and trimming were mahogany. The floor was covered in plush red rugs and crescent shaped black couches that sat alongside coffee tables. The wall, was bombarded by frames, many of which were empty at the moment.

The frame closest to us held an interesting piece of art... a well built man was sitting in a suggestive pose, a strategically places bottle of whisky covering his privates. I pulled my eyes away from the picture and to a group of almost naked men standing in front of cameras as photographers arranged the props. My feet were telling me to get the fuck out and run, but there was this strange pull that made me want to get closer. Vladimir was still in his pale blue briefs, leaning against the wall as he looked at the man who was posing with a towel.

"Finally decided to show your face, Cardei? Hurry up, we do not have all day," the woman behind the camera scolded. She had a plain face and she wore a black dress, her hair tied back into a slick bun. Her eyes went trailing down my body as she waked away from the camera and offered me a hand.

"You must be new here. Leave your clothes to the side, no one will bother them. I'm Corin," her voice was warm and she had a pleasant smile on her face,

"Stefan," I offered.

She nodded and guided me over to the group of men who were sitting on a group of couches, sipping on water and throwing balls of paper at each other. They raised their heads as I stood there, Corin standing beside me as she took a few items off the table.

"He's new, be nice. Get him ready, I need to finish with Demetri," she ordered fluidly as she sat me down on the couch, "don't pick on him. We can't have another one leaving."

One of the larger men curtly nodded and squirted oil onto my back, making me jump. The cold oil started to drip down my back as his large hands rubbed it in. I tensed at his touch, it was calloused and he was making me feel like a freaking steak! I did not have to be marinated to perfection or anything! He started to rub my arms, pulling on my skin. His face was oddly calm, despite the fact that he was rubbing the oil onto me. His skin was pulled taut over thick muscle and his dress pants hung low on his hips. As he rubbed my chest, I pulled away. It felt wrong...

He didn't seem to like it as he pulled me back, holding me back, "Stop fidgeting or I'll get somebody hold you."

His voice was oddly threatening and I bowed my head, not willing to look at him as he slicked me up with oil. He was just too huge... what was up with all the bodybuilders? The oil made me feel slimy... I didn't like it. The thought of my father seeing me doused in oil, however, was perfect. How he would disapprove of his son dripping in oil at some trashy gentleman's club.

"Better," the man said, "a little runt aren't ya? Skinny too."

"Shut up, Felix," Corin scolded, "stop teasing him. I think he's adorable."

Felix snorted, "I think he rather be called skinny than adorable. Who's posing with him, Corin? I don't think he'd be comfortable doing it solo."

Corin tapped her fingers on her chin, pointing at Vladimir, "Let's go with Cardei. He's almost naked anyways. Vladimir, get Stefan on the stool."

Vladimir walked over and grabbed my oily arm and pushed me down to a stool in front of the camera and lights. The lights blinded me and the camera didn't help much either. He pushed my legs apart and sat down on my lap, his face inches away from mine. To my discomfort, he wrapped his legs around me and scooted onto my right thigh. I had the strongest urge to push him off. I wasn't a pussy... I just liked naked people to stay away from me. Naked people were just too... naked.

"Comfortable Stefan? Vladimir, do something, you're both clothed, so make it good."

He was heavy... I fidgeted under his weight and oily chest as he moved. I was on the verge of pushing him off, not that I was even sure that it would work. The camera flashed again and again as I felt something oddly wet touch the side of my mouth and slide up to my eye before pulling away. It felt as if a worm had decided to take residence on my face, eating the outer layer in attempt to create roads on my face. I started to push him off in vain, the man just had to be heavy.

"Perfect! Perfect! We're done for the day, boys."

Vladimir hopped off me and walked down the ramp, leaving me dumbstruck on the stool. Corin came over to me and smiled, "I'm glad you're going to become one of us, Stefan. I promise you'll absolutely _love _working here. It's like having a big happy family. Follow the other boys downstairs, it's unhealthy to be alone."

"Ermm... okay. Thanks."

Corin waved her hand, "It's nothing. Come to me whenever you need help."

The downstairs room was now glowing in a red light. Vladimir waved me over from the bar at the other side of the room. A tall skinny man was standing behind the bar, wearing dress pants and a black necklace. His eyes scanned over my body before returning to cleaning glasses. He took a dark red box out from under the counter and spilled it's contents. The contents varied from sparkling bowties to spiked collars. The urge to run was very quickly reforming in my mind as the man fingered the sparkly bowties.

"I'm Demetri."

"Stefan."

He curtly nodded and handed me a bowtie, "What'd you want to wear?"

"My shirt?"

Vladimir scoffed and turned around, still in his underwear, "Give him a collar. It' be easier to gift him to Caius that way He's been looking for a new play thing."

The man behind the bar lifted a brow, a smirk growing on his earlier stoic face, "Like you were?"

Vladimir growled and poked my flat stomach, "You're too skinny. It isn't healthy being that skinny. Work out or something. Skinny doesn't stay cute for long."

Demetri ignored him and handed me the collar, "I think a collar will do fine for right now."

I nodded and clipped the ridiculous thing around my neck. It was snug, keeping me from breathing as easily as I would have liked. I must have looked like a complete mess, dressed in pants and a collar... what type of club was this? Was I expected to always look this stupid? Won't it be better to just quit? I didn't really need the money... Father would provide me with anything necessary for me to live on my own. I sighed and shook the thought out of my head, if I were to prove to them I could be independent, I could not keep on accepting their cash.

* * *

Voices sounded from the front as Demetri came back into the back room. He handed me a tray and patted my back.

"Remember, you're doing only the first floor for today."

I exited the bright room to enter the lounge, already dimmed and glowing in the rosy red light. The air was thick with smoke and the oiled workers shined in the light. A man around the age of forty called me over from one of the couches, a cigar in between his fingers. He was dressed in some sort of suit, which was neatly pressed. The man sitting beside him was much younger, his hair slicked back and a cigar on his lips.

He raised his brow at me as he ordered a vodka for him and his partner and handed me his card. Demetri was at the bar and poured the drinks, not commenting on the thick smoke filled air. When I returned with the drinks, the men were sitting terribly close, speaking in soft low voices. Their cigars were still in their hands, burning up on their own. I put down the drinks and the man's in front of them as they leaned into each other and kissed...

I quickly turned away, not sure if I was walking in on some odd ceremony... maybe business men kissed each other. I took in another breath full of smoke and oil. I took a look through the smoke to see that some men sat very close to each other, exchanging soft words and touches. Laughter and soft spoken words filled the foggy room, along with the clear clink of glasses.

"Planning on quitting yet?"

Vladimir served the drinks on his tray and smirked at me. He was starting to annoy me.

"No, why?"

He shrugged, "Just askin'. No need to get so defensive."

I turned away and went to another table, only to see a bunch of younger men who were... cuddling? Their heads rested on other's shoulders and they didn't look very drunk. One of the men kissed the other man's forehead before whispering something into his ear. I backed up against the wall, my breath quickening.

"Yo, waiter. Can you get our order?"

Nodding, I tried to regain my stance and take their order, telling myself that the smoke was playing with my eyes. The man tapped hi finger on the other man's lap, his eyes thoughtful.

"You're new here, aren't you? I'm James."

"Stefan."

He pressed his lips together, his hands clutching onto the other man's, "Nice to know. I'll have some rum and coke. You want anything, babe?"

The man beside him kissed his chin but didn't say anything.

"Well, just a run and coke," he repeated, handing me his card. I quickly went back to get the drink, trying to erase the kisses out of my mind. It was a gentleman's club... maybe they had odd ways of showing affection. Demetri shot me a worried look which I shook off with a smile. The smoke was really getting to me.

The two were sitting on each other, their hands groping each other's hair. I put down the drinks along with the tray as I dashed out the front door. I felt sick... the air outside was cold, breezes freezing the sweat that formed on my face. A few men were smoking odd rolls outside, not giving me a second glance as I clung to the wall of the alley. Fancy cars lined the streets as the rumble from the main streets matched my heart beat.

I slid down the rough walls onto the floor, attempting to catch my breath. What was it that brought me running? Homosexuals were like anything else... they were just kissing. I pulled on my hair, not understanding the crazy erratic pumping of my veins. I was not a homophobe... I knew I wasn't... the club was just too abnormal... too many men... oh fuck. Oh freaking fuck.

A hand touched my shoulder as I turned around to see a smug smile, "Homophobic or something? You ran out like a fucking gazelle. Planning to quit now?"

I stood up and pushed away the hair in my face, glaring, "No... I needed some fresh air. There was too much smoke."

"Sure, get back in before Aro notices that you're missing. You can leave whenever you want, nobody will give a fuck," Vladimir turned on his heels and strolled away, his steps sure and confident. I huffed and walked in after him, not allowing his attitude to get the better of me. The sign above the bar glowed red, the word 'Hidden' written in bright swirly neon lights, brightening the lot in front. Women wore skimpy dresses as they walked the streets, the dim yellow streetlights glowing in the hollow of their cheeks.

"Hey faggot! Go kill yourself already before you get AIDs!"

I turned around to see a bunch of college students drive pass in a car, laughing their asses off and using their drunken aim to attempt to throw a ball of paper at me. The ball of paper landed a safe distance away from me, only to roll it's way into the gutter. Suddenly, I had a greater urge to walk back in their and do my job... just to prove to myself that I wasn't like those guys in the car.

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**AN: So sorry about the late update. I'm on a trip with a group to visit colleges and apparently, tour busses don't offer wifi... thank god for McDonalds. Review?**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Warning: Drug use, Homophobes**

**Disclaimer: I ain't Meyers, all this stuff belongs to her and her wonderful mind. **

**AN: All mistakes belong to me and my chubby fingers. **

**P.S: Always try to find a laptop or computer of some sort to type fanfiction unless you have perfect fingers and can type on a phone like a pro... if that's true, I'm forever jealous. TEACH ME YOUR WAYS!**

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Jacob was spread eagle on his bed, the blanket discarded on the floor and his sweat sticking his hair to his face. I slipped into a pair of jeans and a shirt before leaving the room, careful not to wake him up. There were enough questions yesterday when he saw me come back late, and had to shower in middle of the night. My backpack hung off one shoulder as I chugged down my can of Mountain Dew. The halls were empty, filled with only the soft snore of the sleeping students.

The small windows in the stairways showed me the dark gloomy morning sky of Seattle, reminding me about the fact that I still didn't even crack open the textbook that sat in my backpack. It called to me, but fatigue and my bloodshot eyes warned me away. Walking down three sets of stairs left me breathless and tired. My bike waited for me at the rack, shining in the lights of the campus. Nobody else seemed to find a reason to wake up at this time, leaving me alone to my thought as I fumbled with the lock.

Yesterday was a little bit too eventful to my tastes, but I felt good... Sure... I worked in a gay gentleman's club... it didn't mean that _I _was gay. I worked at a bar... in ways. Wouldn't any other regular college student willingly work at a bar? If I got the job, I would be able to pay for my tuition and all my necessities on my own, without a single cent of my parents. This was America, I was supposed to be independent, not dependant on my parent's cash. They earned their money from absolutely nothing, I was going to do the same.

I could see how my dad would talk about how America was the land of dreams and how we were going to make a fortune, how could he be happy knowing that his son lived off his money? We were here and I was going to be the son he would be proud of not the trashy American boy that he expected me to grow up to be,

The streets were calm, only a few cars whizzed pass my bike. The coffee shop was already open, lighting up the street corner with it's glow. Alice was already behind the counter, her eyes bright as she waved to me. The tables were wiped clean, but she still continued to rub their tops until they literally sparkled.

"Hello, Stefan. Glad to see you didn't come late. Edward hates when we come in late. Are you sure you aren't sick, Stefan?"

I shook my head, pressing my lips together as I tried to ignore the loud ringing in my head. Alice seemed to mean well, but I didn't take morning chit chat as well as the next man. Alice smiled again and pushed her bangs out of her eyes, her smile turning unnatural. She nodded and walked away, leaving me to tend the cash register as the first zombies of the day headed in. I tried to keep me smile present, but I didn't think my smile even went noticed by the frowning sleepy business men and computer geeks. They sat in silence, fancy drinks at arms reach and laptops clicking away at fire speed.

Not a smile passed the register until noon, once the gamers started to come in. They were all odd smiles and labored breaths. Their artisan coffees were left untouched once their laptops flew open, leaving them prone to go cold. They didn't seem to care, sipping at the cold coffee after they had their hour of play.

The sun was already high in the sky, telling me it was time to take off the silly apron and head back out to my bike. A swift hand touched my shoulder, along with Alice's still smiling face.

"I'm on my lunch break, why don't we get something to eat? It'd be nice to know my coworkers a little bit," she said, her voice unsure.

"Sure."

Her smile was bright, keeping me from regretting my decision.

"Can we stop by my place? I need to drop off a few things."

I nodded and we both got rid of our aprons just as the next workers of the day took our spots. Alice hopped onto her bike, which was left unlocked. After a good five minutes, we were riding awfully close to the bar, only to pass it. The streets were dull and store front windows contained little more than newspaper articles. We drove past the stores to a little apartment with peeling paint. A old man sat out in front, his head on a plastic bag as he wrapped a tattered quilt over the rest of his body.

She led me into one of the doors, quickly apologizing for the mess. The room was actually quite tidy, a mix of a kitchen and a living room. It was hardly any larger than my dorm room. She slipped into another room to put things away and I sat down on the old couch, admiring the diploma that hung over the window that was covered with strips of cardboard. The rumble of cars echoed in the little room, a constant reminder of the crack in the window.

The kitchen was little more than linoleum countertops a portable stove and a microwave. Books were neatly piled on one side of the couch, brightly colored papers used as bookmarks. An old clock laid flat on the floor, the minute hand stuck at a quarter hour. The white plastic was tinged with yellow, small bits of smudged handwriting vandalized the face and it was edged with cracks, telling me that this clock had suffered through some hardcore beating.

She returned with a purse and a genuine smile, "Why don't we just get some fast food? I'm starved."

* * *

We later arrived at a run down McDonalds and were sitting at our booth, eating the greasy food without much thought. The walls were an unpleasant bright red, covered in tacky pictures of clown and burgers that were perfectly crafted. The windows were dirty, giving us a hazy version of the true traffic outside of the burger joint. I was never one to turn down fast food, but on the other hand, I wasn't usually that accepting of burgers that reminded me of pancakes soaked in butter.

A group of loud men entered the room, their voices booming as the door let in the sound of the outdoor traffic. Alice talked on about what classes she took as I attempted to down the greasy burger. The men sat at the table opposite of ours, pointing fingers at Alice as they laughed. Alice took no notice of their ridicule and continued to talk. She was a sweet girl, only... she seemed to know the perfect ways to annoy me to death without trying.

She reminded me of those girls in high school who lived in the moment, not really caring about the future. For me, I liked having a route to my future. Sure, I will never become anything amazing, but I needed to worry about it... even if it was to be a complete mess. Worrying was supposed to be bad, but without worrying, the future is just tomorrow.

"Hella, darling."

A man with shoulder length wavy long hair was leaning against Alice's chair, a smug smirk on his face. The smirk alone made me hate him... smirks should be fucking banned. I bit into my burger, silently wishing that I could bite the smirk off his face.

She looked back, her eyes dark, "Go away, Jasper."

"Ya don't miss me no more? Who's the cheap rebound? That kid looks like jailbait to me. You're twenty two, darling, he looks sixteen. Holding grudges ain't good for anything."

"Go away."

The man kept his smirk and strolled away, his moves confident. Alice looked down darkly on her food and pushed it away.

"I'm sorry, Stefan. I think I should get back to work. Maybe we can go out another time."

She picked up her soda and walked away, ignoring the laughs coming from the other table. I felt bad for her, but I knew better than to act out on anger. I ignored them and continued to eat. I remembered middle school, when no one would talk to me because I was poor and my parents were immigrants. It was always better to just ignore them, what was the point to waste my own time to entertain people with nothing better in their lives than ridicule others?

"Yo, dude."

I turned to face the table to see the customer I recognized as James sitting with Jasper, waving me over to their table. Without better judgement, I decided to walk over. I was tired of staring at the burger anyways.

"Name?"

"Stefan."

"Sit down, Jasper was just kidding about the jail bait shit. You're new 'round Seattle aren't you?"

I nodded, studying his face. I sat down on the chair furthest away from the rest of the guys. It might be nice... maling a few friends in this town before school started. It was just, I didn't want my friends to be _these _guys.

James smirked and stood up, "Boys, why don't we introduce him to the town? He works at Hidden."

The guys nodded, smug smiles on their faces as they picked up their drinks and walked away from the table. James leaded me to follow, his hands firm on my shoulder. I tried to shrug it off, but his hand was too firm. He led me too an old van, the windows tinted to a pitch black.

"What about my bike?"

James pointed his thumb at my bike and pulled the keys out of my pocket before handing it to a dark skinned man, "Throw it in the trunk."

The man threw my bike and the chain into the back of my trunk. I cringed at the sound as the rest of the guys hopped into their cars and drove off, leaving me with James and the dark skinned man. James opened the door of the van and let me in. The other man hopped into the back as I sat in the passenger seat. The seat belt was either invisible or the van just didn't have one.

I held onto the sides of the old leather seat as James walked in. Either I was stupid, or I just liked getting myself in bad situations. The engine rumbles as the van lurched forward, causing me to cling onto the dashboard. The rumble was deafening, and the pounding in my heart was just another sweet, sweet sign that I was doing something I shouldn't.

"How old are you? You don't look very old."

"Eighteen."

James raised a brow, "Don't talk much? Well, that isn't a problem, nobody here is much of a talker. We're almost there."

The van jolted to a stop in an empty parking lot. The cars of the guys were already there and a few guys were leaning against the side of an old store. The smoked on their disfigured cigarettes as they spoke. Trash littered the parking lot, becoming the only color in the place. The store looked as if it was once painted white, but the paint had peeled off, leaving the gray concrete exposed. James swung his arm over my shoulder, chuckling as Jasper handed him a small plastic bag.

The smoke smelled worse... more toxic. The guys seemed to be at ease, taking long drags and apparently unfazed by the smell. James lit the rolled up white paper and held it to my lips, smoke still curling off the other end.

"Here."

"No thank you."

A few guys laughed, their smiles taunting, "Aww the new kid's a pussy."

"C'mon ain't that bad."

"Yeah, just try it man."

"It's his first time, don't give him shit for it."

'Try it dude, you'll like it."

I eyed the roll as some other guys added in their two cents, pushing me on. It couldn't really be that bad could it? I always seen guys after school who hid behind the building, taking in their dose of drugs. They seemed so calm, so relaxed. The guys around them would always do the same, acknowledging them without a single word, silence being the language of their brotherhood. I always envied them, their silent language, their calm faces as they seemed to fade into a better world. I never did have the guts to follow any of them behind the building. I only saw them when I walked to the library, taking the long route so I didn't have to talk to anyone.

I took the roll out of his hands and lifted it to my lips, taking a long drag. The gas was no better in than out. I coughed on the smoke, but nobody said anything. I sat on a plastic crate, holding the burning joint in my hand. Whatever idiots glorified this stuff must have been out of their minds. The aftertaste was bitter in my mouth. Jasper sat down besides me, no words exchanged as we filled our body with the sick toxins. I felt lighter, it felt good.

We sat in this mutual silence, it felt nice. Nobody seemed to care about anything, and with each drag, I couldn't even remember what I was doing. The wall was rough on my back and the trash rolled in the wind. The crinkle of foil along the rough asphalt somehow brought my spirits up. The parking lot slowly filled up, shiny cars taking up the spots. Bright reds and blacks glinted in the greyed skies.

The aftertaste faded away with the rest of my cares, letting me rest on top of the plastic crate. Nothing seemed to matter in that moment. Jasper would mumble words, none of which were able to make sense to me. Incoherent conversations and the sour smell of whatever was in these joints filled the air. Could I even care that this felt so wrong? With each puff, my mind felt more at ease, not allowing me to care that I was leaning against that douchebag I met at McDonalds.

Some more guys came, some even younger than me. They sat and smoked, speaking little but all at an odd ease. Humorless laughs and the off road rumble of cars filled my mind, pushing everything else out. The sky was already becoming gray again, despite that it could be little after one. I threw the finished roll on the ground and pushed myself off the box, attempting to clear my mind. Strong arms pulled me away, but I couldn't be bothered to care who they belonged to. The person was mumbling, their fingers bruising my skin as they pulled me down the sidewalk.

"Fucking idiot... you fucking idiot. You're gonna get in trouble. I knew you would mess up. Fucking idiot.

I tripped over my own feet as the person held me up, cursing into my ear. My feet were dragged on the ground as the person held onto my underarms dragging me against the rough asphalt. They threw me onto some sort of bench and drove me off, cursing until I fell asleep. The bench was soft.

* * *

"I think he's waking, Vladimir."

I blinked against violent bright lights to see Corin smiling back at me, along with a very pissed off Vladimir. His arms were crossed over his chest and his brows formed a v. Apparently, he wasn't happy to see me and, apparently, the feeling was mutual. I appeared to be back in Hidden, but only Corin and Vladimir were in the room. I pushed myself up from the couch, regretting my actions once the nausea came in.

"Lay down, child. You look sick."

"Of course he is, he was smoking weed with those fucking shitheads. He's getting everything he deserves. Fuck, we're not gonna keep a druggie are we? Aro has to has something against this. He's barely eighteen for god's sake!"

Corin patted his back, a mocking smile on her face, "Stefan, ignore him. He talks too much."

She handed me a glass of water which I downed greedily, my throat incredibly sore. Vladimir huffed and sat down besides my legs, still mumbling obscenities and swears. Corin kissed the top of my head, taking back the glass. We were in the back room of the bar, it must have been still pretty early, nobody was here yet. I remembered the foul taste of the joint, the smell of burning paper and leaves. I felt incredibly guilty, but something in my head told me not to.

I looked down at my ankles to see that my jeans were torn and that there was a few drips of dried blood clinging to my scarred skin. I hissed as I bent over to touch it. The scars were bright pink while a few others were a pale white. I sighed and pulled myself back, not willing to look back down at my messed up ankles. How was I going to ride a bike in this condition? Whoever dragged me was a fucking asshole.

"He can do whatever he pleases, Vladimir. He's an adult."

Vladimir huffed, turning away, "I was too when I did that shit, I would've been happy if someone stopped me. He's gonna get messed up, just wait. Just fucking wait. He should be happy I brought him back."

The asshole revealed himself.

He stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Corin sighed, pulling me up and propping me against the back of the couch, "You need us to call anyone, dear? Vladimir might have pulled you here pretty harshly."

She pushed her dark hair out of her face, rubbing my shoulders as she sighed. She could hardly be any older than thirty, yet when she sighed, she looked well over fifty. Her professional looking bun and suit only seemed to age her. Somehow, this lady seemed warm, sweet, almost motherly. A camera hung around her neck, the shiny black plastic covered in odd golden lettering and random rhinestones, a tacky looking trinket. Nothing seemed to make sense about her, but somehow, she made me feel comfortable.

I shook my head, "I'm good."

"That's good to hear, Stefan. You can leave, you have two hours until work time. Maybe you should go home and get your stuff."

I nodded and thanked her before leaving the room. Once again, the front bar was dark. I held onto the couches, careful not to trip on the carpet. Footsteps sounded from behind me as I walked. I walked faster, the beating of my heart stuck in my ears. I felt hands on my shoulders, pressing me up against the couch. The grip was tight, bruising my skin. Heavy breaths covered the low words.

"You better fucking stay away from them. You're gonna do something stupid, don't think you won't. That shit makes you go insane, be happy I got you away when you did."

I pushed back, suddenly angry, "Stay away from me."

"Well stop doing stupid shit! What do you think you are?"

I stepped out of his grip, "I wasn't! It was just one! It was my first time!"

"Lies, let's just see. Leave, then. If you think you're so damn smart do whatever you want!"

I walked away, my chin held high. I wasn't going to let that fucking blond guy ruin my college life. I was old enough to know what I was doing. I pushed open the front door to see rain and saw that my bike was nowhere in sight. I sighed, walking into the rain, anger keeping me warm in the cold pour. Nothing seemed to matter as I stomped through the rain, ignoring Vladimir calling after me. I didn't need any pity, I was fine. It was just a little bit of rain.

* * *

**Woo! Starbucks is absolutely awesome. Sorry about the unusual updates. Most of this is done on my phone due to the fact that my laptop broke down and my instructer thinks that fanfiction is literary porn and doesn't want me writing that on his laptop. How'd he get that notion? ;) Reviews are loved and cherished!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: I tried to buy Twilight with ten bucks a few years ago. I only got the book... I still don't own it. I really thought I could buy the whole franchise but the bookstore only had the book for sale... **

**Warning: Oh ummm... hinting of sex? Is that a warning? Mentions of rape...**

* * *

I untangled myself from the sheets, staring at my beeping phone. I reached over to turn it off, suddenly noticing something warm wrapped around my waist. I wasn't in my bedroom... I pulled myself off the bed, allowing myself to be attacked by the Seattle cold. My dress pants were on the floor, along with someone else's. I pulled on my discarder boxers and dress pants. I felt sore... what was wrong with me?! The man groaned, rolling over and letting me see his long blond hair and pale arm. I was in some sort of house, oddly well furnished. I searched the floor for my shirt, my breath uneven, apparently I didn't have it.

I had to get to work... there was no time for me to worry... not yet. Regret could come later, I couldn't waste the precious minutes before work crying and moaning about my stupidity.

I found my shoes but then remembered that I was in my work clothes, I couldn't go to the coffee shop like this! My duffel bag was on the floor and I quickly pulled out a change of clothes and redressed, careful no to wake the man up. Tears ran frantically down my face as I hopped out of the room, pulling on the zipper of my jeans. I ran through the halls of the room, scared of the perfectly furnished rooms and large paintings that adorned the walls. This was not where I was supposed to be!

I found the elevator and frantically pressed the lobby. The elevator was filled with mirrors, letting me see the mess I was. My curls were tossed around my face, my face streaked in tears. My ankles and back were in hell, along with a few other parts... I felt the blush rise in my cheeks as the elevator pulled on my stomach. The lobby was luckily empty and gave me enough courage to run out the front door. It was too fancy...

Luckily, the hotel was on the main street. I ran down the streets, my hands tightly wrapped around the strap of my duffel bag. The street were dark, only lit by odd hotel rooms and the signs of twenty-four hour drug stores. My shoelaces were flopping on the floor, still damp from yesterday. The glow of the coffee shop wasn't that far, just a little bit down the road. I continued to run, ignoring the stares I got from business men making their way to get their coffee.

Alice raised a brow as I entered the shop, quickly sliding into my apron. Luckily, the clock on the wall told me I made it in time. I was completely wiped out, just from running down a few streets. I really needed to get into shape. I dropped my bag down in the back and went back to the front as a few business men entered the room, dressed in perfectly ironed navy blue suits.

* * *

_"Do upstairs, we're good down here," Demetri ordered, "here's the wine. It's for Aro's table, his family is here."_

_I nodded and balanced the glasses and the bottle on the tray as I walked up the ramp. The smoke was as unforgiving as last time, burning my eyes. Men chuckled and laughed, acting as if there wasn't a single problem in the world. Aro sat at the couch in the center of the room, a few men and surprisingly, women around him. They had folders and papers on their laps, some of them scribbling wildly as others spoke. _

_Putting down the glasses, I could see them stare at me, all writing suddenly halted as I poured the drinks. They clinked their glasses, few words exchanged as they toasted the evening. Aro waved me over, smiling with glassy eyes._

_"Brothers, this is my newest employee, young fellow isn't he?"_

_The woman besides him chuckled, pulling on her fur shawl, "Terribly young, hopefully he isn't jailbait. We don't want anyone getting in trouble, do we, dear?"_

_The woman was oddly beautiful, her eyes and lips painted dark. Her chin was pointed, her skin was pale, reflecting the red glow that covered the room. She wore a tight red dress and dangerous looking shoes. One of her hands were holding the stem of the glass as her other hand held onto a pearly white fountain pen. The pearls that hung on her ears were dirt compared to the diamonds that dripped off her ears and wrist. By the ring on her finger, I supposed she was his wife. What she thought of her husband owning a gay gentleman's club? I would never guess._

_Aro waved her assumptions off, the back of his hand nearly smacking my leg, "Of course not, Love. He's legal. Vladimir, go get us the rest of our drinks, Demetri will know what to get us."_

_I went down the ramp and retrieved the next bottle, returning to see that everyone had finished their drinks. They were alive in wild chatter and scribbling on their papers, waving around their gold encrusted hands. I refilled their glasses and looked around to see if anyone needed anything. Apparently not._

_The two women were whispering and giggling in a drunken stupor. Either they wanted their whispers to be incredibly loud, or they were to drunk to notice. Aro pulled me down onto the crescent shaped couch, patting me on the back. I didn't think it'd be wise to pull away. The man was my boss._

_"What do you think about him Caius?"_

_The man across from us smirked, obviously drunk as a camel, "Verry nice," he slurred, downing another glass of wine. Aro took the bottle off the tray and placed it on the table, completely ignoring the fact that there were three other half full bottles there already. _

_"Sit there, Stefan. My brother would like to meet you. I make sure my family knows my customers."_

_He pushed me off the couch, nearly pushing me into the coffee table. Caius pulled me down besides him, his eyes dark and covered by locks of straight blond hair. He looked incredibly young, much younger than the man that sat besides him. An annoying smirk hung from his lips, taunting me. His suit was well pressed, but the tie was loose._

* * *

"Ehem? Can you take our order now?"

I shook myself out of my thoughts to see the men glaring at me... I must have been standing here for a while.

"Sorry, what would you like?"

The group of men seemed to throw their orders at me, their zombie like tones back on. I nodded, and scribbled them down, walking back to make their orders. Alice gave me a weird look and walked away. The smell of coffee brought me back into reality, clearing my thoughts. I rushed back to the men, again apologizing for dazing off earlier.

I took a red rag from behind the counters and walked around, cleaning the already shining tables. Alice followed after, a small paper cup in hand. She handed it over to me, her face stern. I sipped at the bitter coffee, I never grew accustomed to the taste. The caffeine slowly seeped into my blood stream, only giving me more energy to worry.

"You don't look so well, Stefan. Are you getting enough sleep? If you're like this now, how're going to last when the semester starts? You'll become one of them," she said nudging her chin to the men who were sipping their coffees, staring at their papers with an air of importance.

"I'm fine. Just have another job at night..."

She raised her brow and pushed her bangs out of her face, "That's a lot for a college student to handle. Are you sure about it? I was barely able to handle this job while I was in college."

"I'm fine."

"Are you really sure about this, Stefan? A few student loans are better than stressing yourself to death," she urged, her voice filled with concern.

"I'm sure."

She shrugged and walked away, taking the order of some white haired lawyer. I walked back to the counter as another man entered the shop, ordering a few blueberry scones. I used the little tongs to drop the scones into the paper bag and handed them to him, burning my hand in the process. He left, his shoes scuffing on the welcome mat. I took another sip of the bitter coffee, hoping that it would help me out.

* * *

_"So, Stefan, heard you were in college. You ever drink?"_

_I shook my head, uncomfortable with the smell of liquor on his breath. He pushed his glass into my hand._

_"Drink it, it's nice."_

_I pushed the glass away and he shrugged, finishing off the blood red contents, "Aro always pushes for us to drink wine. I hate wine."_

_Aro chuckled and shook his head, "Brother, you just lack the palate of a real man. Wine is the gift of the gods. Must you always become intoxicated from cheap liquor every night? Athendora, how do you live with my brother?"_

_The lady besides his wife shrugged, her long blonde hair rustled from giggling, "The man is insane, I feel like a maid. I'll leave once I get a husband."_

_"You will leave him to live on his own? He will die within the weekend."_

_Athendora giggled, "Dead? More like he will kill a man. He knows to eat and drink."_

_Caius seemed amused with his siblings making fun of him, a lazy smirk on his lips as he refilled his glass, "You two think so lowly of me. I know my limits."_

_Athendora shook her head, the rocks on her necklace hitting together, "You were supposed to drive tonight, brother. You've already passed those limits. Marcus, would you drive me to your place? I can take care of your wife while you go to work tomorrow."_

_The man shook his head, swirling the wine in his glass._

_"It's settled," she smiled, "you will drive home on your own. That way, you can just take a taxi with dear Stefan."_

_"Me?"_

_The lady nodded as if it was the most casual thing in the world, "Of course, dear. Caius wanted to show you around our place, it's only right for you to say yes."_

_I blinked, wondering if this woman was playing around or not. I had work tomorrow and I needed all the sleep I could get. Why would some dude want to randomly show people his house? Was it made out of gold or something? Even if it was made of gold, I didn't think I would be able to appreciate any of it after work. Today was enough to prove that I would get minimum sleep after this. I didn't need to walk around some rich dude's house before going home. I would barely get any sleep at all! _

_"I have work tomorrow morning."_

_Aro raised his brow but didn't press into my statement, "Why doesn't Cauis bring you to his place now? Don't worry about a thing, Stefan. You will still be paid for escorting my brother home."_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"Yes, yes. Now go before I change my mind. Get your stuff too, I don't think you're coming back tonight."_

_Caius stood up, and pulled on my arm. When standing, the man towered over me by a few inches. I quickly walked back to the locker room and took out my duffel bag. Even in his condition, he was able to keep himself upright as we reached his jet black car. The night air blew on us, letting the smoke from peoples cigarettes blow away in the wind. The sky was bright with life, the streetlights humming. Cars drove noisily on the main road, reminding us that the city was still alive._

_His hand was tight on my arm, pulling me with him. I sat in the passenger seat as he walked around the front... As well as he was on foot, I saw the man down well over six glasses of wine. I didn't know how drunk that would make someone, but he didn't exactly look sober to me. Hell... he looked a bit of a perfect mess... his suit and hair were perfect... his glassed eyes and slurred words? He reminded me slightly of a guy I met walking home from the shopping center back in New York... with a perfect face but sloppy drunken actions._

_I sighed, grateful for the seatbelt. Caius slid in, pinching the bridge of his nose before putting the keys in. Even from the passenger seat, all I smelled was wine. The car started, driving smoothly out of the driveway and into the traffic filled streets. I scooted towards the window to see the tall buildings that enclosed the roads, keeping us in it's beauty. Street signs and hotel rooms glowed with an unsaid diligence, keeping it's prisoners in it's electrical glow. Caius mumbled words under his breath, none of which I could understand and none in English._

_"Where are we going?"_

_He looked over, his eyes still glassed, "My apartment."_

_I nodded, still wondering why he wanted me to go to this oh wonderful apartment of his. What could possibly be so great about it that he wanted me to see? Was he one of those pompous rich guys who loved to show off everything they owned as if that made them more of a man._

_"Your name's Stefan, right?"_

* * *

"Stephan! Are you alright?"

I looked down at my shirt, my cup of coffee had spilled onto my shirt, luckily it was lukewarm. I took the towel out of her hands and shook my head.

"I'm fine, it isn't that hot."

Alice sighed and took the towel back to dab at my shirt, "You're really out of it Stefan. Are you positive that nothing is wrong? You want the day off?"

I shook my head and stepped away, welcoming a customer. Alice sighed but went back to work, constantly throwing me stares. I smiled back to assure her I was fine. A boy in a red beanie looked at the menu on the wall, his eyes bloodshot and headphones blaring music that even I could hear.

"I'll get a chocolate frap, large."

"Four fifty, please."

The boy tossed a five onto the counter and walked away to attend to his glowing laptop. I set off to the blender and began to prepare the drink. The slush spun around until it was of decent consistency. Along with whipped cream and a straw, I gave him his coffee. He took a sip and looked up at me,

"You look too young to work."

"I'm eighteen."

He shrugged, "I'm seventeen, big whoop. Still, you look younger than me."

Apparently, he wasn't lying, for a seventeen year old, he looked twenty. He looked extremely bored and somehow had a noticeable stubble.

"I'm just short."

I quickly walked away, not wanting to engage n any conversation at the moment. Alice called over to me, asking me to refill the milk steamer. I got the jug from the back and poured the contents into the spout.

* * *

_"Welcome to my apartment."_

_I looked in awe at the well furnished hallways and living room... this was a fucking penthouse. It was similar to my parent's, except this one had odd pictures and paintings that decorated every surface. Girly lace drapes were pushed aside so the light of the city could enter. He grabbed my arm and pulled me down the halls._

_He grabbed a bottle of tequila from a table and continued to drag me along as I attempted to look at the paintings. They weren't anything very interesting, but it was better than being pulled around by a drunk man. The paintings were of simple scenes, nothing special. Open country farms and grey pictures of cities, all of which appeared to ha e the same style._

_"Move."_

_"Where're we going?"_

_He smirked but didn't say a word as he pushed open the dark wooden door, painted with odd black designs. The room was simple, unlike the rest of the house, but still enough to surprise me. Still... nothing looked show worthy. His dull nails dug into my skin, I was still in my uniform. A couch sat at the side of the room, beige and soft. He told me to sit down as he opened the bottle, taking a long swig before giving me the bottle. I shook my head, I didn't really see what was so great about alcohol, anyways I was underage._

_"C'mon, just drink it."_

_I shook my head, "I'm fine."_

_He smirked again, sitting down besides me as he slipped out of his blazer. His lips were a few inches away from my ear._

_"Just try it, just a sip. Nothing can go wrong. I promise you."_

_I took the bottle and sipped, cringing at the taste, "See, it's good. Drink." _

_It was lukewarm. I didn't like the taste, nothing seemed to make sense as I took another sip. A satisfied smirk appeared on his face as he pulled the bottle away and dropped something in before handing it back. He chuckled as he pressed it into my hand._

_"Be a good boy and drink up."_

* * *

"I used to think you just sucked at being a bartender, who knew you sucked as a barista too."

His blond hair shaded his dark eyes as he smirked, dressed to perfection even though he acted as if he was bored to death. I growled and walked back to the counter, pressing on a fake smile as he looked at me. I didn't need him too see that I couldn't do a decent job just because of what I did last night. Did he see me leave the club? He probably did.

"Hello, what would you like today, Sir?"

He cocked his head, his smirk slowly widening, "Sir? Being a little formal here aren't we, Stefan. I didn't know you have a second job. The weed prices going up?"

"Your order, Sir?"

Vladimir tapped his fingers on the table, only making me even more annoyed that he had to go to this coffee shop. Shouldn't he be attempting to intimidate other college students? He was wearing casual clothes, something I didn't really expect to ever see him in. Except, all of it was black.

"I'll have an espresso."

"Took you long enough."

He raised a brow, "A little harsh, don't you think."

"Three fifty."

He gave me the money and walked away, which somehow pissed me off even more. Actually, I came to the conclusion that if he died, I wouldn't care and if he got hurt, I might actually smile. Sadistic as it was, he needed someone to knock him off his high horse. I looked over to see Alice talking to him. He looked relatively annoyed while Alice looked pretty much calm. Nothing very interesting.

The sun was already showing itself, bringing in another group of people, rushed phone conversations, newspapers, and expensive laptops. Coffee was drunk like water, despite the obvious steam the rose from the cups. I clutched onto the counter as I took orders, trying to appear casual. I couldn't walk straight... I couldn't think. I was on this autopilot that I never knew I had. Every order just went through one ear and through the other, right as I served the drink. I saw my reflection on the counter, I looked worse than I did this morning. My eyes were blood red, I looked a mess.

Alice sighed loudly as she passed me, running her hand through her short hair, "I really think you should sit down for a bit, Stefan. You simply cannot look like that, you look worse than the customers."

"I'm fine."

She touched my forehead with the back of her palm, "Running a little warm. Tell me if it get's worse."

* * *

_"Shhh, it's fine. You want it."_

_I pulled away, running my hands on the floor for my pants as he crawled closer. His smirk was still there, how was he planning to comfort me with that wretched thing on his mouth?! Scrambling, I grabbed my pants as he wrapped his arms around my waist._

_He chuckled, pulling them out of my hands, "Stefan, be a good boy."_

_I cringed at the smell of his voice and tried to pull myself out of his grip. It didn't work. _

_His eyes were dark and red, the light that came through the window only created shadows on his face. He looked demonic. I sucked in my breath, franticly wondering if I should scream. Would anyone hear me? Would they ignore me? He pulled me up and I tried to kick him, he only laughed. The building was high, letting the checkerboard of hotel lights enter the room and create odd shapes of the furniture and drapes. His nails dug into my waist as I started to cry. I couldn't help it._

_"See, it gets better when you do what I want. Now stop crying, I don't like them crying."_

_"Stop," I cringed at the sound of my own voice, I sounded weak... my voice was shaking along with the rest of my body. How could I yell for help with a voice like that? He didn't listen and pulled me onto the bed as clung onto myself._

_He raised his brows and his nails dug deeper into my skin, "Don't tell me what to do. Stop crying."_

_"Please. Don't."_

_"Why're you crying? It's better when you aren't crying."_

* * *

"Stefan? Why're you crying?"

I wiped my eyes to see blond hair and dark eyes. I turned away as he pulled me back, glaring at me as he did so. Alice, who was taking a customers order, saw my face and rushed over. She still didn't help me get out of his grip. Tears ran freely down my face as customers looked away, pretending as if they didn't see anything. Alice held onto my shoulders, wiping away my tears with her thumb. I hated myself, why couldn't I stop?

"Stefan, go home. I don't think you can work like this."

I nodded, not trusting my voice anymore. She still held onto me, not letting me leave.

I forced myself to look at her, she didn't look any better than I did, "I'll drive you home after my shift. Go wait in the back. Tell me if you need anything."

"Okay."

She looked up at me with a weary smile, "C'mon, follow me. There's nothing wrong with crying, Stefan. It's not like nobody else cries every once in a while."

Again, I nodded as she pushed me to the back and out into the small alleyway. I sat on the floor, holding onto my knees as I tried to control the heated tears that forced themselves to blur my vision. The alley smelled of dust and trash, the perfect place to keep me from crying. The sun was up and my apron was covered with coffee stains and a dusting of cinnamon... It was cold and I was stupid enough not to wear a jacket. I sighed and wiped away the remaining tears in my eyes. What's done is done, I could just get over the fact and live on with life... it seemed easy enough.

I could just quit the job and get back to doing my school work. Those textbooks still hadn't been opened and pretty much all of my stuff were still in my suitcase. My mom would kill me if she found out I wasn't studying my books beforehand... None of this had to change anything... right? I looked down at my watch, it was still there.

"Hey, Stefan. You really sure you're okay?"

He was standing there, leaning against the side of the alley as if he owned it. I glared at him, wishing him to go away. He only came closer and sat down next to me, no smirk in sight. His body heat helped me out, but other than that, I was thinking of pushing him away. I was already crying, what else did he expect me to do? He scooted closer and nudged my arm.

"I'm serious, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay."

Vladimir looked at me again before standing up and walking away. I don't know why, but I sort of wished he would stay.

* * *

**Sorry about taking forever, I had to do all my registration stuff and finally got back home. Still no laptop. I'll get onto a better schedule once I'm able to afford to fix my laptop~ I'm hoping to make this only 10 chapters long. Maybe more if I get inspired.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Twilight.**

**Warnings: Meh...**

**A.N: School is a living hell... apparently my English teacher thinks that calling us peasants is hilarious. Well after surviving the humiliation of being called peasant in front of my friends, I was allowed to use his laptop for half an hour. Short chapter. **

* * *

"Are you sure you want to quit, Stefan? I can't pay you until you work for at least two weeks."

I nodded, trying to ignore his intense stare. His lips were curled up in a taunting smile as he held onto the dress pants. The rest of the guys were sitting behind him, obviously eavesdropping. Vladimir stood to the side, his eyes on mine. My face heated as Aro hummed. I pictured this to be easier, fulfilling nearly. Yet, as I stood here in front of the rest of these guys, I just felt like a lost teenager... which with the situation, I was.

"Well, care to tell me why you suddenly decided to quit?"

"School work," I offered under my breath.

He nodded, "Well it's a shame to see you go. Remember that we will welcome you back if you ever need a job again, Stefan."

He put his hand on my shoulder and guided me out of the room, closing the door behind him. His highly arched brows and pointed face showed little sign of emotion as his mouth opened.

"Stefan, you still have time to remain with job. Are you sure you plan to lose such an opportunity? The pay is high. Not many other places would pay so much for someone as young as you."

"I'm sure."

He raised a brow, "I'll contact you soon."

"I don't think you need to."

He gave me a long look and opened the front door, gesturing for me to leave. The sky was already dark and the gray clouds whispered of rain. I walked out, hearing the sound of a door closing behind me. Alice was waiting for me, looking up at the glowing neon sign with distaste. The humid air was covered by the occasional breezes and cool air. She walked over to me and took my arm, pulling us down the dirty street. The center of the city glowed above us as she walked us away.

"You want to talk about it?"

I shook my head and she sighed. She buttoned up her black pea coat and looked back up at me. She wanted to speak, I could see it. I just knew she didn't for me. People around us were awake as the city, speaking calmly in secluded groups on the streets. Paper bags and rolled up bills were exchanged in darker corners, words kept to a minimum in their little trade game. Alice pulled us away from them, her chin high and an brightness in her eyes.

Slurred obscenities were tossed at us like pennies as we walked closer to her apartment, but still she ignored them. I kept my eyes to the ground, trying to ignore the drunken people that laid on the streets, leaning against piled garbage and dimly lit stores. They mumbled under their breath of better days and God. Still, whatever they said, it was lost in the wind and traffic.

"Not everyone is a bad person in Seattle. You don't need to work in these parts. You're still young."

"I know, Alice."

"Just stay safe, away from here. You'll find something."

"What about you?"

She looked away wistfully, "I'm still looking for it. I still got time before I'm middle aged."

I nodded. We entered her apartment where she got me a cup of tea, it was lukewarm. I noticed a photo album opened on the couch, hearts and scribbled on the pictures. She picked up the book and sat down besides me, running her fingers over the pictures. I took a peek over her shoulder and saw Jasper and her, not that I cared much. I pretended to have not notice and sipped on my tea.

"He was so sweet back then. He was going to graduate and then go to law school."

"What happened?"

She sighed, "James. Stay away from him, okay? He won't do you any good. That stuff isn't worth a penny."

I nodded and stood up. It was getting late and I didn't feel the need to stay any longer. She was just a coworker... I didn't need to extend my stay. She seemed to understand and walked me to the door.

"Good bye. See you at work, Stefan?"

I nodded and left. After a few minutes I was able to hail a bright yellow taxi and was on my way out of the center of the city. The taxi driver took no notice of me other than to ask where I was going and to tell me his rate. After thirty minutes in slow moving traffic, we were back at the dorms and I paid my fare. The upperclassmen had seemed to have come back from their summer and the dorms were wild with lights and talking. Drunken students hobbled down the halls, completely forgetting to hide the fact that a majority of them weren't even legal yet.

My roommate was still in our dorm room, resting on his bed as he texted wildly on his phone. He looked up when I entered and lifted his chin. I took one of the text books on my desk and opened it. The least I could do was a little bit of studying before the semester started. History was as dull as usual, starting off with the whole American wars and colonization. It was great and all, but what was the fun seeing how this economical engine that ran on pure imported oil was made after it was taught since grade school? Even in Romania we had to learn about this.

I expected Jacob to leave so I could continue my reading, but he didn't. After what felt like a while, he stood up.

"Stefan, let's go somewhere. My friends are holding this party down the hall."

I raised my brow, utterly confused by the sudden change of attitude, "What?"

"Dude, all you see to do is work and sleep. It's fucking college. Loosen up a little."

"No thank you."

Again he just stood thee, his wide body covering the light, "Dude, get up."

"I'm fine reading."

He rolled his eyes and picked me off the bed, "We're going. Have some fun for once."

Grudgingly, I complied and followed him out of the room. I kept my head down, not really wanting anyone to speak to me more than necesarry, not that anyone wanted to talk to me anyways. Maybe he just didn't want to go to this party alone so he dragged me along. There was no real reason of why else he would talk to me. The hallways were dull, the putrid pale blue walls only decorated with half filled corkboards. Jacob didn't attempt to make any small talk as we walked down the hallway to the room that was blasting music. How no body complained? I had no clue.

Jacob entered the room with ease. I entered after him to see that this dorm was quite a bit larger than ours. It was one of those deluxe rooms that rich kids got when they complained to their parents about closet sizes. Girls were giggling along the walls, sipping on their beers and dressed in skirts that hardly passed for long underwear.

"Hey, Jake! Who's your friend over there?"

Jacob walked up to the dark skinned man and shook his hand before pointing to me with his thumb, "That's Stefan. My roommate."

"Nice to meet ya, man."

I nodded, my eyes scanning the room for an escape. The front door was crowded with a group of drunken girls, giggling and tumbling over each other. Slinky dresses and sky high heels along with a face of makeup and alcohol breath... how attractive. Jake handed me a beer and sat himself down on the bed, his eyes on a drunken girl with dark hair. I turned away, pretending to be interested in the abstract sketches that lined the walls. My books and my bed called for me from down the hall, urging me to leave. Yet, wasn't this what every college guy wanted? To be in some dorm room party with drunk girls who could barely tell that their dresses were slipping off as they giggled?

I sighed and leaned against a desk, taking in the scene before me. Guys downed their drinks, alcohol making them confident. They hung close to the girls, but not intruding into their tightly knit groups of giggling and bouncing. House music was blaring from speakers on the desk. A girl walked over to me and threw her pale blond hair over her shoulders, her eyes so caked with bright blue makeup that I wondered if she colored herself with a crayon. Her dress was hanging from strings that tied around her neck. If she bent over, I was sure everyone in the room would be able to see straight down the thing.

"Hey, Cutie. Name's Lauren. My dorm room's out tonight."

I looked at her dress again, it looked like it was about to fall off, "No thanks."

She raised a brow and went closer in, to the point I could smell the alcohol on her breath, "I'm really good. Ask anybody in this room. Go ask your roommate. He knows I'm good."

I wasn't sure if she meant to impress me but I just pushed her aside as another group entered the room. I was able to make my escape and pretended to be casually walking the halls. I left the beer besides the door and went back to my dorm room, nothing was as special as extra sleep.

* * *

He came again and was sitting casually with a book in his hands. Despite the obvious morning chill, he was only wearing a tank over dark jeans. I felt the sweet urge to rip the shirt off of his and use it to make a noose. Every few moments I would see him smirk or talk to some brain dead girl that would blush and giggle. He sipped on his latte, flirting and winking at girls. It was absolutely infuriating! I already quit the job and I still had to see his stupid face. Really, if I threw white powder into his hair he would look like a old man... what did girls find so interesting about him?

"Waiter!"

I scowled and walked over to him, ready to pour the kettle of hot water that I held in my hands over his head.

"What now? I already got you more sugar and cream."

Vladimir smirked and leaned back on his chair, "So you quit?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"Aro doesn't usually let people off so easily. Expect to see him again. He likes his boys, Stefan."

"I'm not one of his boys. Isn't my fault I don't want to work in there."

Vladimir cocked his head, "Oh really?"

"Yes really."

"Well, aren't you a little stubborn one."

I huffed, "If you don't want anything, I'm leaving. You aren't the only customer."

Vladimir raised a brow and I could feel his eyes raking down my body. It simply infuriated me!

"Can you not look at me like that?"

He took a sip of his latte and gave me another smirk, his eyes crinkling in pure annoying as hell joy, "Sorry. I just noticed something, you're getting wet. You better take care of that."

First thing I did was look down at my pants with sudden panic, only to realize that I was being fooled by him. My genitals were as calm as a cucumber. I huffed and glared at him, "Stop playing with me. I need to get back to work. Need anything?"

"Napkins. I think I'll take care of it if you aren't going to."

The thought of him implying anything made me go red. Who did he think he was? Prince of fucking Seattle? This city was going to be my home as much as it was his. He had no right to go to the coffee shop and do this to me humiliate me in front of customers! It was cruel, sadistic, and annoying! If Alice wasn't so calm to him, I'm sure he wouldn't have returned. He had seen me weak just that once and he wanted me to feel weak again. That fucking cruel asshole!

"Don't you dare touch me! I'm done with people touching me."

"Don't-"

I turned around and walked straight into a puddle of hot water that seeped into my shoes. Then I noticed how light the kettle was... oh... well I guess there is something to take care of.

"I told you," I heard him mutter as I walked away, trying to hide the blush that was rising in my cheeks.

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**Review? I'll attempt to get a new laptop asap. Finally got the cash, just need the time to go out and buy one.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Warnings: Well stalkers? I'm not sure if this is a warning...**

**Disclaimer: Oh... I still don't own Twilight.**

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"Hey, Stefan."

I turned around to see James, smiling as he leant against his car. I pretended not to notice, but the moment I turned away, I could hear him chasing after me. His hand grabbed my arm and I shrugged it off. His dirty blond hair was simply a nuisance, a little bit too close to the shade of a certain person that I was still plotting to throw creamer at.

"Something wrong, Stefan?"

I shook my head, pretending to retie my shoelace so I wouldn't have to talk to him... the whole experience of hanging out with him wasn't exactly pleasant. With my luck, Vladimir was sure to catch me the next time I did something as idiotic as taking drugs from a stranger. What was I? A teenager with an identity crisis? Maybe only a little.

"I'm fine. I needed to go... visit my friend Alice."

James lifted his eyebrow, "Jasper's old chick? She got ugly now. C'mon, Stefan, let's go visit the rest of my boys."

"I'm not your boy."

I could see him laugh as I stood back up. He just smirked at me and looped his arm through mine.

"Of course not, Stefan. Let's go."

I sighed and followed him... I was just going to follow him. The sky was already darkening and I spent the whole day doing absolutely nothing useful and getting lost on campus more times than I would like to admit, classes wouldn't start until tomorrow. That was something about this place that was like a maze, every corridor led to either nothing or back to the first one. The only trees were the ones prettily put in holes in the ground to add some color to the neon lights and concrete walls. Plaques speckled the place like loosely thrown confetti.

The library was a nice place, stressed out children reading and not talking, not a person said a word during the time I was there. The librarian with the pointy face would hush anyone that flipped a page to loudly. I spent an hour there, but the sounds of students taking in shaky breaths to calm themselves rung in my ears as I tried to take in my history. It was like sitting in a cow factory, seeing the cows plumping up only to be slaughtered weeks later. It was the oddest thing. In the county library there was always old people playing cards and tutors helping the children through simple rhymes. Here, the librarian was a falcon, hushing it's prey and reading Glamour magazine while sipping on her pitch black coffee.

Guitarist hoping to make it big would sit besides the theater, strumming their beauties with eyes closed in concentration. I had attempted to give a guy some cash by putting in his hat but it blown away in the wind. I knew I wasn't extremely slow, but I was no match for the afternoon winds. Luckily, he didn't see the bill flying away in the wind or even me putting the bill in his fedora. However, the small incident chased me off the campus. I was certain I heard girls giggling behind me, having seen the dollar blow away in the wind.

James smiled and hummed, "So, how was your first experience?"

"Crappy," I growled, wondering if he would get the hint and leave me alone. Alice had insisted that she help me with getting a new closet before classes began. For someone so little, she was persistent, especially after she found out that I had more money to afford a whole new house. I didn't want her to know, but she found out after attempting to look me up on Facebook. Why she did that, I would never know. But apparently, she found my father's and saw a picture of the family. From what she knew on computer programing, she knew I was loaded.

Alice claimed that if I had the money, it would be a waste not to use at least a little bit of it. Mother would have loved her. My mother was already worried why I haven't used my credit card so it wouldn't be a complete waste of time if I got my mother off my back

"Most people's are. You'll get used to it."

Shrugging, I began to count the shabby cars that passed us. Hidden was only across the street from us, it's curtain covered windows not giving us a single glance inside. I wouldn't have wanted to see more of shirtless Vladimir anyways. He didn't come to the coffee house today. Somehow, I missed him, I even saved a jar of cream to 'accidently' spill on him. After the mishap a few days ago, I wanted revenge. He didn't come in that often, and when he did, I pretended to be busy taking scones out of the oven until Alice took care of him.

She would give me a few curious looks but never questioned me on it. Apparently, they seemed to know each other. She would smile at him and ask him about the weather and life. He would snort and reply in short answers before going back to whatever book he had. Whenever I looked over at him, his eyes were always on his book. Whenever I looked away, I swore I felt his eyes on my back. It was not paranoia... it was just this suspicion. He would stay for a whole hour, sipping his latte while reading. Once in a while he would get a snack, but he'd be gone the moment the students came in.

"I didn't see you working, yesterday," James mentioned.

"Quit."

James raised a brow, "Well... interesting kid, aren't you?"

"Mhm..."

"Stefan!"

The familiar sound of a certain blond haired pale skinned butthole made me cringe. I was certain James saw it because his arm that was looped through mine closed and was starting to restrict blood flow to my hands. His hand on my shoulder forced me to turn around and look at him. Apparently, he had Demetri with him. Demetri didn't look intimidating much... just curious. His eyebrow was cocked and his lips stayed in a straight line, his windblown hair told me that either he had a thing for ruffling his hair or someone else was ruffling his hair.

"Hello, Vladimir. Planning to steal my friend again? Wasn't kidnapping him once, enough?"

I could feel his eyes on me but I kept mine trained on his shiny black shoes. Oddly enough, he tied his shoes perfectly, to the point that the even bows made them look childish on his short frame.

"It isn't as if you're not forcing him."

James chuckled, "Oh, Vladimir, you amuse me. I'm just letting him have some fun."

"_Fun_. I think you mean corruption."

"Corrupt? You just want him to be another little paid whore like you. Mommy and Daddy not coming back to help little Vlady anymore? Where are they, anyways?"

"None of your business."

I looked up to see Demetri standing right besides me, grabbing my arm before pulling me away from James. Despite James being the larger of the two, Demetri was both fast and tall. In seconds, both his arms were wrapped protectively around me. James had a mocking smile on his face, his hand arrogantly on his hip.

Vladimir looked plain annoyed, his bare chest shiny with oil.

"Once they start fighting, come with me."

Demetri's voice was low and if it weren't so quiet, I wouldn't have heard. I nodded and saw James leaping onto Vladimir as Demetri tugged my arm and pulled me across the street, ignoring the cars that screeched to a stop inches from our bodies. I felt oil trickle down my neck and was sure that he managed to get all the oil on his chest onto my hoodie. The feeling was far from pleasant. Demetri had these odd eyes, they looked old and tired.

I breathed in heavily once I felt safe and out of the street. Demetri's grip on my arm hardened as he walked us to Hidden.

"I don't want to go in there."

I was sure he rolled his eyes as he pushed open the door and pulled me into the darkness. I felt his oily skin again as he weaved us through the couches. Even in the dark, I could still see the posters on the wall, the one with me and Vladimir the brightest. They were all lit up with little yellow twinkle lights. It made my stomach churn.

I was reintroduced back into the backroom, I heard voices but no one was there. Demetri was oddly quiet as the clicking of dress shoes on stairs echoed into the room.

"Ah, Stefan. The rookie come back so soon? I should've known you would have been the one to bring him back, Demetri. Hardly in proper decorum, but perfect none the less."

Aro smiled slowly, his pale white skin stretching along with it. He had this look, this little thing in his eyes that made every word he said sound patronizing. With his pressed suit, silk tie, and long curtain of black hair, he really did look higher status than I in my hoodie and jeans. On the other hand, I was a student! I had the complete right to look as if I spent thirty seconds choosing out my outfit. He tapped his finger against his chin, letting the jeweled ring on his finger reflect the bright white lights of the room.

"I'm not here to get rehired."

His smile was humorless, "Of course you aren't. Get rid of him, Demetri. Romanian boys are really too much to handle. Here I was, thinking you were different from Vladimir. You two are exactly the same, too prideful for your own good. How you blushed on the first day."

I huffed and was ready to turn around and leave, but Demetri's strong grip hardly allowed me to pull him along in a very slow crawl. He didn't look at me, but I heard his whisper a little apology. I nodded my head in acknowledgement before trying to navigate my way through the furnished lounge. Evil men and dark places, no wonder Vladimir liked working here. I stubbed my toe more times than I thought possible and Demetri's grip on my arm was still there once I reached the door.

"Let me go."

"They might still be fighting."

I pressed my lips together and pushed open the door. There was no sign of either of them. I turned back to see Demetri's hazel colored eyes and glared at him before pulling my arm away from his.

"See, they're gone. I'm going. Bye."

There was a flash of hurt in his eyes but I turned my head. I wasn't going to fall for it.

* * *

I knocked on the door of Alice's apartment after being asked if the war was over by some man that lived in the apartment besides her. For the time being, the place smelled of lemon cleaner. After a few more minute I heard her pulling open the door and welcoming me with a bright smile and a list of places to shop. I still couldn't believe how she did things so easily. Sure, she was annoying, put persistence came with it's own rewards.

"It'll be fun, Stefan! I can be your personal assistant."

Alice threw a scarf around her neck and we walked down the dirty streets until we made it to a nice street filled with sleek stores, all with large glass walls so we could see everything inside. Girls with heels like weapons roamed these streets as if they owned them. Despite the obvious cold, girls seem to insist on wearing skirts that barely covered them or dresses that looked more like shirts. Even with the girls giving her haughty looks, Alice looked as if she was on cloud nine.

We entered a little store with clothes professionally draped over white tables and hangers. Black paintings covered the walls, along with purses that shone in the lighting. The price tags weren't too high, but the ladies in the pencil skirts and tight, starch white blouses proved that the store wasn't just nothing.

"Let's get you some pants. Those jeans look as if they're going to go white."

My jeans didn't look that bad... maybe they weren't as blue as I remembered, but it was far from white. Maybe more of a very pale blue... It was a nice pale blue, though.

Alice gingerly picked up a pair of black jeans and handed them over to me, along with almost every other thing in the store that was close to my size. A lady with plucked brows and purple lips came over, grimacing at the pile. Her hair was in a tight bun, not a hair out of place. A white pen stuck out of the bun as if it was glued there. She tapped her heels on the floor, silently daring to stab a hole through it with the five inch needles that she balanced on.

"Are you two in need of assistance?"

"Yeah, can we get a fitting room? He needs _a lot _of outfits. Maybe a few belts too..."

"A lot? Oh yes, we can get you a fitting room. Sir, would you like to look at our shoes? They're handmade, very fine leather. It's like walking on clouds."

I gave her a weak smile, but shook my head as she led me to one of the few stalls. The stalls were huge. I was sure it was the size of my dorm room. Mirrors hung on three of the walls, a white bench rested on a black rug and there was a hand mirror hanging off the wall. Alice plopped herself down on the bench until I swatted her out of the room. She left a giggling mess.

As I slipped into the jeans I heard Alice talking to someone.

"What are you doing here, Alice?"

The voice was so non-sarcastic and calm that I almost didn't recognize it.

"Shopping with Stefan. He dresses terribly. What's that on your chin, Vladimir? I think you should get it checked. It's getting ugly."

"Ask Stefan. He's more trouble than he's worth. Where is that kid anyways?"

"Changing. I don't thin he's trouble at all. He's great at work."

I heard him scoff, "Great at work? I remember on the first day he ran out hyperventilating."

"Hot naked men, who wouldn't?"

Another scoff, "Boy's either straight as a stick or damn good at hiding it. He would do as a little twink if you asked me. Stupid one, but really, what can you expect from that boy? Pretty boys think they can own the world just because nobody gives them any shit. I have no idea how that kid didn't kill himself yet."

"I think he's smart," I smiled to myself at how she said it so smoothly, without a second of hesitation. Somehow, I knew I didn't deserve her defending me. I wouldn't consider myself a terrible person, just a person who other people prefer not to spend time with. Alice was either lonely enough to accept me, or insane to the point she liked my company. Most likely, it was the latter.

"You thought Jasper was smart."

"He is. He's just going through a hard time. He'll come around. It's a phase."

"Well his phase is going to kill him. He isn't nearly as smart as you think he is."

"Do you have to be such a pessimist? I was having a good day until you came around."

I heard something similar to a laugh as the voice faded a little, "Most everybody says that, Alice."

I quickly slipped on the shirt and opened the door, pretending not to have heard the conversation. Alice seemed to hide the fact that Vladimir was ever even in the store and smiled when I came out. The jeans were a little tight and the shirt was a little to showy, but Alice seemed to approve of it. After that, her judging of outfits became harsher and compliments were few and far between. In the end, I managed to buy four bags of clothes. With much convincing, I managed to buy Alice one of the purses on the wall. She looked as if she was about to cut my head off, but I didn't care. He called me pretty, I still wasn't sure if I liked it or not. He still deserved a cup of hot coffee spilt over his head.

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** Reviews are loved! Next chapter Stefan starts school!**


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